CVE-2017-1753 in Rational
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple IBM Rational products are vulnerable to HTML injection. A remote attacker could inject malicious HTML code, which when viewed, would be executed in the victim's Web browser within the security context of the hosting site. IBM X-Force ID: 135655.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1753 affects multiple IBM Rational products and represents a critical HTML injection flaw that enables remote code execution through web browsers. This vulnerability falls under the broader category of cross-site scripting attacks and specifically aligns with CWE-79, which describes improper neutralization of input during web page generation. The flaw exists in the web application components of IBM Rational products, where user-supplied input is not properly sanitized before being rendered in web pages, creating an avenue for malicious actors to inject arbitrary HTML code.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to craft malicious input that gets processed and displayed within the web interface of affected IBM Rational products. When legitimate users view these contaminated web pages, the injected HTML code executes within their browser context, leveraging the security privileges of the hosting site. This creates a persistent threat vector where attackers can perform actions such as stealing session cookies, redirecting users to malicious sites, or executing additional malicious scripts. The vulnerability demonstrates the classic characteristics of a reflected cross-site scripting attack pattern where input data flows from the web application to the user's browser without proper validation or encoding.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it provides attackers with a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within the targeted environment. IBM Rational products are typically used in enterprise settings for software development lifecycle management, making them attractive targets for attackers seeking to compromise development processes. The attack surface is particularly concerning because these products often contain sensitive development data, source code repositories, and project management information. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to development environments, potential code injection into production systems, or the establishment of persistent backdoors within the organization's software development infrastructure.
Organizations should implement comprehensive mitigation strategies including input validation and output encoding mechanisms to prevent HTML injection attacks. The remediation approach should focus on implementing proper sanitization of user inputs and ensuring that all dynamic content is properly escaped before rendering in web browsers. Security controls should include web application firewalls, regular security assessments, and user access controls to limit exposure. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing content security policies and monitoring for anomalous user behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to established security frameworks that address common web application vulnerabilities as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's web application attack patterns. Regular patch management and security awareness training for development teams are essential components of a comprehensive defense strategy against such threats.